Best Antivirus Free Trial Downloads 2024

Antivirus software providers offer more features, plans, and products than we can count. To test an entire package, you’ll likely have to pay for a year-long subscription. This approach is costly, inefficient, and time consuming. Ultimately, you might end up with a full-year subscription to a product you don't like.

The good news? We already did all the research for you. We picked Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton for their features and generous free trial periods. They'll stop malware, protect you from online scams, and keep your sensitive data private. Most importantly, you can test them extensively without breaking the bank.

Keep reading to learn why we chose these services as our best antivirus trial downloads.

The best antivirus trial downloads

Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton offer top-level protection and substantial free trials. With its Family Pack and advanced parental controls, Bitdefender is ideal for families. McAfee is best for individual users since its most affordable plans cover only one adult. Norton offers the highest identity theft insurance and helps you recover from a successful attack.

• Bitdefender: Best for families
• McAfee: Best for individuals
• Norton: Best for identity theft protection

Top 3 best antivirus trials compared

Antivirus
Starting price	$29.99/yr (first year only)	$39.99/first 2 yrs	$29.99/first yr
Free version
Free trial	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 7 days
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 60 days
Features	Phishing protection, a VPN, a firewall, network protection, activity modes, anti-tracking, Wi-Fi Security Advisor, social media protection, webcam and microphone protection, spam filters, parental controls, device optimization tools, and more	Identity theft protection, password manager, privacy suite, a VPN, parental controls, file shredder, web protection, a firewall, personalized security assessments, and more	Cloud backup, password manager, a VPN, dark web monitoring, privacy monitor, parental controls, LifeLock identity theft protection, and more
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review	Get Norton Read Norton Review

Bitdefender: Best for families

Who it’s best for

Bitdefender is ideal if you're looking for a family-centric service. One subscription can protect all the devices in your household against computer viruses and other threats. It can also filter inappropriate content and optimize your children's gaming and streaming. It can also protect them on social media and limit their screen time.

What we liked

Bitdefender includes many valuable features: the Family Pack can cover up to 15 devices. With its intuitive controls, you can quickly identify threats and boost your online security. Bitdefender is ideal for families because each member can fully customize their own experience.

We like the integrated extras, like gaming mode: It ensures distraction-free gaming and focuses system resources on your games. We’re also big fans of Bitdefender’s parental controls. Features like location tracking and contact monitoring let you give your children independence while ensuring their safety.

What we didn’t like

Many of Bitdefender's features are not available on iOS. If you want to secure your iPhone, we recommend using the 30-day free trial to test the service and see if it works for you.

Bitdefender specs

Price range	$29.99/yr (first year only)
Free version	Yes
Free trial	Yes — 30 days
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	Yes
Network protection	Yes
Parental controls	Yes
Extras	VPN, firewall, activity modes (game/work/movie), anti-tracking, Wi-Fi Security Advisor, social media protection, spam filters, device optimization tools, and more
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review

McAfee: Best for individuals

Who it’s best for

We recommend McAfee if you're looking for antivirus protection and features that cater more to singles than families. It offers a personalized protection score and identity monitoring. This service is ideal if you want a bevy of security options without paying for a family plan.

What we liked

We like McAfee's identity theft protection and security features. It can flag malicious websites and scams, detect phishing attempts, and even alert you if it finds your info on the dark web. The file shredder ensures anything you delete from your computer is completely gone. If you trade-in or sell a device, a file shredder guarantees no one can pull residual information from your hard drive.

The personalized protection score lets you evaluate your overall safety. McAfee’s virtual private network and firewall are also included in the trial and can add an extra layer of privacy and security.

What we didn’t like

McAfee offers a lot of plans and products, which can be confusing. Depending on your chosen options, it can also get quite expensive. In addition, its scam detection is overly sensitive and often flags harmless messages.

McAfee specs

Price range	$39.99/first 2 yrs
Free version	No
Free trial	Yes — 30 days
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days
Phishing protection	Yes
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	No
Network protection	No
Parental controls	Yes
Extras	Identity theft protection, password manager, privacy suite, a VPN, parental controls, file shredder, web protection, a firewall, personalized security assessments, and more
Learn more	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review

Norton: Best for identity theft protection

Who it’s best for

We recommend Norton if you're concerned about identity theft but also want solid online security. Norton includes LifeLock, a separate identity theft protection package. It's the best option on the market with the highest identity theft insurance.

What we liked

Norton offers up to $3 million in identity theft coverage. Along with its white-glove remediation specialists, it provides the resources to restore your identity and prevent future theft. In other words, Norton can protect you from identity thieves or help you recover as quickly as possible. You can get these options by purchasing one of the Norton + LifeLock plans.

Some of the valuable extras include Norton’s VPN, a dark web monitor, and even cloud storage. The encrypted storage keeps sensitive files hidden and off your hard drive. Combine all of that with Norton’s LifeLock for identity theft protection, and you have an impressively powerful security suite.

What we didn’t like

It’s not the most budget-friendly option for individuals or families. While the Norton 360 plans do include a lot, they’re also costly. Renewal pricing is also higher than first-year pricing, which doesn’t make sense to us.

Norton specs

Price range	$29.99/first yr
Free version	No
Free trial	Yes — 7 days
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 60 days
Phishing protection	No
Ransomware protection	Yes
Webcam protection	Yes
Network protection	No
Parental controls	Yes
Extras	Cloud backup, password manager, a VPN, dark web monitoring, privacy monitor, LifeLock identity theft protection, and more
Learn more	Get Norton Read Norton Review

Honorable mentions

If our top antivirus suggestions aren’t what you’re looking for, try one of these vetted and tested alternatives:

• TotalAV can be purchased on its own or bundled with Total Adblock, Total VPN, Total Coupon, or any of Total Security's other products. It includes real-time protection, malware detection, internet security, compatibility with multiple devices, and much more. You can trial the Total Security suite for 7 days.
  
  Get TotalAV | Read Our TotalAV Review
• AVG is a reputable free antivirus program. You can use the free version for as long as you like or upgrade to premium for extra features. Both versions have ransomware and browsing protection, as well as automatic security updates, so your software is always up to date. The premium version comes with a 30-day free trial.
  
  Get AVG | Read Our AVG Review
• Avast is another freemium antivirus service, meaning you can get basic protection for free or upgrade for additional features. Even Avast One, Avast’s premium digital guardian security, offers a free tier, which is an incredible value. Avast Premium comes with a 30-day free trial period.
  
  Get Avast | Read Our Avast Review

Best antivirus trial downloads FAQs

Bottom line: The best antivirus trial downloads

We always recommend testing an antivirus program thoroughly before buying a subscription. That's where trial periods come in: you need services that let you test their products without any limitations for 30+ days. We think Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton are all top-quality products that offer generous trial periods. They can protect you and your family from online threats while allowing you to make an informed decision after in-depth testing.

3 best antivirus trial downloads 2024

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
	$29.99/yr (first year only)	Best for families	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Review
	$39.99/first 2 yrs	Best for individuals	Get McAfee Read McAfee Review
	$29.99/first yr	Best for identity theft protection	Get Norton Read Norton Review

How we tested the best antivirus trial downloads

We wanted to make sure the options we recommended included top-rated antivirus products we’d tested ourselves. Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton, as well as also our honorable mentions, are all rated highly by independent third-party tests and include features that set them apart from the lighter antivirus products on the market. Here are the factors we kept in mind while compiling this guide:

• Full malware protection, not just antivirus
• Automatic security updates
• High third-party test scores
• Positive reviews on community forums like TrustPilot and Reddit
• A variety of features like anti-hacking and phishing protection
• Good device and platform coverage
• A generous refund period
• Smooth performance that doesn't cause lag